Understanding the Phantom’s Tragic Destiny in Phantom of the Opera解读《歌剧魅影》中魅影的悲剧命运.doc

Understanding the Phantoms Tragic Destiny in Phantom of the Opera解读歌剧魅影中魅影的悲剧命运 AbstractThe story of the Phantom of the Opera is set in the early 1880s at the Paris Opera House where rumours of a ghost take on a terrifying reality when the beautiful young singer Christine suddenly disappears after a triumphant performance. A growing sense of fear and violence pervades the vast, dimly-lit labyrinth that lies at the heart of this magnificent building.With its pervading atmosphere of menace, tinged with dark humour, the Phantom of the Opera (1910) offers a unique mix of gothic horror and tragic romance that has inspired film, stage and literature since its publication.This thesis consists of three parts. Part one gives a brief introduction of the Phantom of the Opera. Part two briefly analyses the phantom's personality. Part three focuses on the reason why this tragedy happens.We can't simply tell whether the phantom Erik is an angel or evil. The author hopes that this paper will awaken people to the importance of caring others and respecting lives and prevent the tragedy from happening again. Key words: Phantom of the Opera; tragedy; love解读歌剧魅影中魅影的悲剧命运 摘 要歌剧魅影的故事设定在1880年代在巴黎歌剧院，在那里传说有一个幽灵上演了可怕而又真实的一幕，当年轻的歌手克莉丝汀奉献完精彩的演出后，突然从舞台消失了。渐渐增长的恐惧和暴力弥漫在座落在整个宏伟建筑核心辽阔而又光线黯淡的迷宫内。歌剧魅影(1910)以其吸引人的恐怖气氛和黑色幽默,成为了一种哥特式恐怖和悲剧爱情相结合成的特有产物，自从它出版以来，更是催生出了电影、舞台剧、文学作品等各种版本。整篇文章由三部分构成。第一部分简要介绍了歌剧魅影的相关情况。第二部分对魅影的人物特征进行浅析。第三部分进一步分析了魅影悲剧命运产生的原因。我们很难轻易下定论说埃里克是一个天使或者恶魔。作者希望通过这篇文章唤醒人们对关怀他人和尊重生命的重要性的认识，并防止类似的悲剧一次又一次地重演。关键词：歌剧魅影；悲剧；爱情ContentsAbstract.i摘要.iiIntroduction.11. The Brief Introduction of the Phantom of the Opera.21.1 The Brief Introduction of the Author and Background.21.2 The Brief Introduction of the Novel.31.3 The Musical and Movie Versions of Phantom of the Opera.42. Brief Analysis of the Phantoms Personality.52.1 A Brilliant Talent.52.1.1 A Great Architect.52.1.2 An Excellent Musician.62.2 Poor Communication.6 2.2.1 The Death of Joseph.72.2.2 To the New Directors and La Carlotta.72.3 Lack of Love.72.3.1 Lack of Love From Family , Friends and Woman.82.3.2 Love with Christine.83. Reasons for His Tragic Destiny.83.1 Family Reasons.93.2 Social Reasons.9Conclusion.10Acknowledgement.11Endnotes.12References.13Understanding the Phantoms Tragic Destiny in Phantom of the Opera解读歌剧魅影中魅影的悲剧命运IntroductionThe Phantom of the Opera is a novel written by French writer Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serialisation in "Le Gaulois" from September 23, 1909 to January 8, 1910. At first, the story was sold very poorly upon publication in book form and was even out of print several times during the twentieth century; it is overshadowed by the success of its various film and stage adaptations. In all the art forms, tragedy is usually more attractive, people are easier to resonate with it. Although it makes them sad, many people still can't stop to like it. In The Phantom of the Opera, people praised Erik sacrificed himself and fulfilled the others' love at last.Although the novel was not very famous at that time,it has a profound effect on the culture. Now it is one part of the Bookworm series published by the Oxford University Press. It is very popular now and owns more and more readers.In the first part we will learn some basic information of the Phantom of the Opera, includes the brief introduction of the author and his background, the brief introduction of the novel and various adaptions of this novel. The second part is talking about the personality of the character O.G(Opera Ghost)-Erik, although he is a brilliant talent, Erik suffered a miserable life. He could be a great architect and an excellent musician, but lack of love and live without communication made his tragic destiny. At last, we will analyse the reasons for Erik's tragic destiny both from the family and the society. Although such tragedy didn't happen to us, everyone should think about it and do something to prevent it.1.The Brief Introduction of the Phantom of the OperaIn order to understand the tragic destiny of the phantom in this story, wed better first acquaint ourselves with some basic information of the novel and the writer. What the writer experienced in his life and for what reason he write this novel. Such information will help us to figure out what the writer wanted to express through this novel. The answers are in the following paragraphs.1.1 The Brief Introduction of the Author and BackgroundGaston Louis Alfred Leroux(6 May 1868 - 15 April 1927) was a French journalist and author of detective fiction.1In the English-speaking world, he is best known for writing the novel The Phantom of the Opera, which has been made into many kinds of adaption of the same name. Among lots of these adaption, the 1925 film starring Lon Chaney and Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1986 musical are the most famous.Gaston Leroux was born in Paris in 1868, his father was a building contractor. He went to school in Normandy and studied law in Paris, graduating in 1889. He inherited a huge property and lived a rich life until he nearly reached bankruptcy. In 1890, he began working as a court reporter and theater critic. His most important journalism came when he began working as an international correspondent for a Paris newspaper. In 1905, he was present at, and covered, the Russian Revolution.He left journalism in 1907 and began writing fiction. In 1909, he formed his own film company with a partner to publish novels and turn them into films. He first wrote a mystery novel entitled The Mystery of the Yellow Room, starring the amateur detective Joseph Rouletabille. Leroux made a lot of contribution to French detective fiction and he is equally famous as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's in the United Kingdom and Edgar Allan Poe's in the United States.Leroux died in Nice, France on April 15, 1927 of a urinary tract infection.21.2 The Brief Introduction of the NovelThe novel opens with a prologue in which Gaston Leroux claims that Erik, the "Phantom of the Opera", is a real person. We are then introduced to Christine Daaé. She and her father travel all over Sweden playing folk and religious music. When Christine is six, her mother dies and her father is brought to rural France by a patron.During Christine's childhood, her father tells her many stories featuring an 'Angel of Music', who is the personification of musical inspiration. Christine meets and befriends the young Raoul, Viscount of Chagny, who also enjoys her father's many stories.Christine is eventually given a position in the chorus at the Paris Opera House . Not long after she arrives there, she begins hearing a beautiful, unearthly voice which sings to her and speaks to her. She believes this must be the Angel of Music and asks him if he is. The Voice agrees and offers to teach her "a little bit of heaven's music."3 The Voice, however, belongs to Erik, a deformed genius who is one of the contractors who have built the opera and who secretly built a home for himself in the cellars. He is the Opera ghost who has been extorting money from the Opera's management for many years. With the help of the Voice, Christine sings perfectly on the night of the old managers' retirement. Her old childhood friend Raoul hears her and remembers his love for her. Once the Paris Opera performs Faust, with the prima donna Carlotta playing the lead. In response to a refused surrender of Box Five to the Opera Ghost, Carlotta loses her voice and the chandelier overhead plummets into the audience.After the chandelier crashes, Erik kidnaps Christine to his home in the cellars and reveals his true identity. He plans to keep her there only a few days, hoping she will come to love him, and Christine begins to find herself attracted to her abductor. But when she unmasks him, Erik goes into a mad frenzy, he crawls away, shouting and crying. Fearing that she will leave him, he decides to keep her with him forever, but after two weeks, when Christine requests release, he agrees, on condition that she would wear his ring and be faithful to him.Up on the roof of the Opera, Christine tells Raoul of Erik taking her to the cellars. Raoul promises to take Christine away. Raoul tells Christine he shall act on his promise the following day, but Christine wants to sing for Erik one last time. But neither of them know that Erik has been listening to their conversation all the time. The following night, Erik kidnaps Christine during a production of Faust. Back in the cellars, Erik tries to force Christine into marrying him. Christine refuses until she realizes that Raoul and an old acquaintance of Erik's trapped in Erik's torture chamber when they try to rescue her. To save them and the people above, Christine agrees to marry Erik. After all, Erik rescues the Persian and the young Raoul from his torture chamber. When Erik is alone with Christine, he lifts his mask a little to kiss her on the forehead, and Christine allows him to do this. Erik, who admits that he has never before in his life received or been allowed to give a kiss not even from his own mother. Christine gives him a kiss back. Then he lets Christine go and marry the young Raoul. She leaves on the condition that when he dies she will come back and bury him. The Persian, being an old acquaintance, is told of all these secrets by Erik himself, and on his express request, the Persian advertises in the newspaper about Erik's death three weeks later. The cause of death is revealed to be a broken heart. As she promised, Christine returns to bury Erik and give his ring back to him.1.3 The Musical and Movie Versions of Phantom of the OperaThere have been numerous literary and dramatic works based on The Phantom of the Opera, ranging from musicals to films to children's books. The best known stage and screen adaptations of the novel are probably the 1925 silent film version starring Lon Chaney, the 1962 film version made by Hammer Film Productions and the 1986 Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, which first opened in London's West End with Michael Crawford in the title role, Sarah Brightman as Christine Daae, and Steve Barton as Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny. This musical was adapted into a 2004 film, directed by Joel Schumacher. It starred Gerard Butler as Erik, Emmy Rossum as Christine Daae, and Patrick Wilson as Raoul. Brian DePalma wrote and directed a 1974 film called Phantom of the Paradise, which was loosely based on The Phantom of the Opera.2. Brief Analysis of the Phantoms PersonalityThe phantom Erik is a complex and authentic, mysterious and dangerous man. He grabbs Christine and force her to marry him, but he releases her and tells her to marry others at last. Maybe Erik himself can't tell what does he really want, there must be a strong struggle deep in his heart. What he does is pitiful but also hateful. Although he is a killer, we may feel sorry to him.To understand his tragic destiny thoroughly, we have to analyse his personality first.2.1 A Brilliant TalentAlthough Erik lived under the mask, ignored his ugly face, he is really a brilliant talent. He can built a great palace with complex structure, he can perfom as an excellent magician, he has an beautiful voice and sings like an angel. But nobody care this, people just staring at his face. Unfortunately, there is no platform and opportunity for him to show his talent, life for him is always hard.2.1.1 An Multi-talented ArtistBorn hideously deformed, he is a "subject of horror" for his family and as a result, he runs away as a young boy and falls in with a band of Gypsies, making his living as an attraction in freak shows, where he is known as "the living death". During his time with the tribe, Erik becomes a great illusionist, magician and ventriloquist. His reputation for these skills and his unearthly singing voice spreads quickly, until one day a fur trader mentions him to the king of Persia.All of these ruthless experiences made him a very clever but very dangerous manHe could be in two，or three，places at the same time He could be in one place，and his voice could come from another placeHe could do many clever things with ropes，and mirrors，and secret doors2.1.2 A Great ArchitectWhen Erik comes to Persia, the king commissions Erik, who proves himself a gifted architect, to construct an elaborate palace. The edifice is designed with so many trap doors and secret rooms that not even the slightest whisper could be considered private. The design itself carries sound to myriad hidden locations, so that one never knew who might be listening. The palace was so great that the king, pleased with Erik's work and determined that no one else should have such a palace, orders Erik's execution. It is only by the intervention of the daroga (the Persian) that Erik escapes.When he is tired of his nomadic life and w